Monday, 2 May 2016

The Exodus

April at the Rescue has been one of great changes and sudden departures.

Most notable and unexpected was the stepping down of Caroline Collings, the manager and founder of Rabbit Residence, as she moved on to pastures new after two decades. This has preceded a wave of change at the Rescue as Caroline's role passes on to others and future plans are made. One long-standing desire has been to reduce our numbers in the best ways possible so that we can be more efficient and attentive to those we care for.

With a large number of rabbits at the Rescue, many with great health problems or advanced in years, it has become somewhat of a sad consequence that we have our losses. Since Caroline left, we have said goodbye to four rabbits, including chronic abscess rabbit Snugs after his condition grew very severe; newly bonded Crystal after a short and terminal illness and elderly Maylin, whose passing aged nine and a half surprised us all greatly. She had been very happy and healthy until the end.

But those leaving us have not all been so unfortunate!

As well as the new homes of Stilton and Meadow and of rex boy Slipper, the Committee have relocated some of our healthy singles, of which we had many, to other Rescues to increase their chances of a new home elsewhere.

To the Warren Bunny Boarding in Sussex, my dearest Skyla, Socks the rex boy, McLaren and his toothless brother Tipex, new widow Arrietty (who was quickly bonded to a rabbit not entirely unlike Snugs and has a new home already!), Topaz the widow of Jake, and little Olive, who captured the hearts of the staff at the Warren and also is having the time of her life bossing around her two new husbuns as the head of an all fluffy trio.

While it was sad to see them all go, one must remember that saying goodbye is very much a part of being a Rescue centre and that particularly in the case of the Warren we have remained updated on their progress. The majority of those rabbits are already much in demand if their affections can be won! With their moving on, we have managed to clear out one of our large barns on site, known as the "singles barn" because of its smaller indoor accommodation, and plans are already afoot to turn it into a properly thought out hospital area. We can't wait!